Steve Dior is a British musician, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter best known for being in bands such as
The London Cowboys
The London Cowboys were a rock'n'roll band who performed from 1980 to 1987. Formed by Steve Dior (vocals) and Barry Jones, formerly of The Idols, the band was somewhat of an enigma. Although these two remained constant and wrote the material, ...
, Filthy Lucre and
The Idols.
Career
In 1976, Dior and Barry Jones built the basis of
The Idols after previously rehearsing with
Chrissie Hynde
Christine Ellen Hynde (born September 7, 1951) is an American musician. She is a founding member and the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band the Pretenders, and one of the band's two remaining original members alon ...
and
Keith Levene
Julian Keith Levene (18 July 1957 – 11 November 2022) was an English musician who was a founding member of both the Clash and Public Image Ltd (PiL). While Levene was in PiL, their 1978 debut album '' Public Image: First Issue'' reached No 22 ...
and others in a band called The Quickspurts.
The Idols evolved into what become
The London Cowboys
The London Cowboys were a rock'n'roll band who performed from 1980 to 1987. Formed by Steve Dior (vocals) and Barry Jones, formerly of The Idols, the band was somewhat of an enigma. Although these two remained constant and wrote the material, ...
in the early 80s, where Steve was joined together with
Glen Matlock
Glen Matlock (born 27 August 1956) is an English musician, best known for being the bass guitarist in the original line-up of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He is credited as a songwriter on 10 of the 12 songs on the Sex Pistols' only alb ...
(of the
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...
) and singer Russell King.
In 1993, Dior formed a band called Filthy Lucre, with his friend
Phil Lewis who was previously in the American
glam metal
Glam metal (also known as hair metal or pop metal) is a subgenre of heavy metal that features pop-influenced hooks and guitar riffs, upbeat rock anthems, and slow power ballads. It borrows heavily from the fashion and image of 1970s glam r ...
band
L.A. Guns
L.A. Guns is an American glam metal band from Los Angeles, formed in 1983. The lineup currently consists of Tracii Guns (lead guitar), Phil Lewis (lead vocals), Ace Von Johnson (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Johnny Martin (bass, backing vo ...
. According to Phil "We recorded a cool record called Popsmear, drank a lot of tequila, and drove around America in a van playing clubs and having a blast".
In 2002, Dior joined The Black Tongued Bells, which also featured bassist
Nino Del Pesco
Nino Del Pesco (born September 6, 1959 - August 14, 2019) was a musician known for playing in various critically acclaimed and groundbreaking bands throughout his career including the Lonesome Strangers, Snake Farm, the Knights of the Living De ...
. Steve was introduced to the band through
Phil Lewis. Both Steve and Nino left in 2003.
In 2013 Dior finished an album with a new lineup of musicians, collectively known as "The Steve Dior Band". The album, titled Songs For The Wicked, was eventually released in February 2016.
The Steve Dior Band's live performance line up is: Steve Dior (rhythm guitar, vocals), Neil Anderson (guitar), James Simmins (bass) Elliot Mortimer (keyboards) and Michael Giri (drums). The band performs regularly in the
Ladbroke Grove
Ladbroke Grove () is an area and a road in West London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, passing through Kensal Green and Notting Hill, running north–south between Harrow Road and Holland Park Avenue.
It is also a name given to ...
area of West London (as at 2019), and has a strong fan base of people local to the area. The set list for these performances is largely taken from the album ''Songs For The Wicked''.
Discography
Over his career, Dior has been featured on many albums and singles.
Studio albums
* ''
Sid Sings'' (1979) with
Sid Vicious
John Simon Ritchie (10 May 1957 – 2 February 1979), better known by his stage name Sid Vicious, was an English musician, best known as the bassist for the punk rock band Sex Pistols. Despite dying in 1979 at age 21, he remains an icon of the ...
,
Paul Cook
Paul Thomas Cook (born 20 July 1956) is an English drummer and member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He was also called "Cookie" by his friends on the punk music scene.
Early life and career
Cook was raised in Hammersmith and atte ...
,
Steve Jones,
Arthur Kane
Arthur Harold Kane Jr. (February 3, 1949 – July 13, 2004) was a musician best known as the bass guitarist for the pioneering glam rock band the New York Dolls. Kane was a founding member of the Dolls in 1971 and remained an integral part of the ...
and
Jerry Nolan
Gerard "Jerry" Nolan (May 7, 1946 – January 14, 1992) was an American rock drummer, best known for his work with the New York Dolls and The Heartbreakers.
Career
A native of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Nolan joined the New York Dolls in the au ...
.
* ''Animal Pleasure'' (1982) with
The London Cowboys
The London Cowboys were a rock'n'roll band who performed from 1980 to 1987. Formed by Steve Dior (vocals) and Barry Jones, formerly of The Idols, the band was somewhat of an enigma. Although these two remained constant and wrote the material, ...
.
* ''Tall in the Saddle'' (1984) with
The London Cowboys
The London Cowboys were a rock'n'roll band who performed from 1980 to 1987. Formed by Steve Dior (vocals) and Barry Jones, formerly of The Idols, the band was somewhat of an enigma. Although these two remained constant and wrote the material, ...
.
* ''Popsmear'' (1997) with Filthy Lucre.
* ''Songs For The Wicked'' (2016) with The Steve Dior Band.
Live albums
* ''On Stage'' (1986) with
The London Cowboys
The London Cowboys were a rock'n'roll band who performed from 1980 to 1987. Formed by Steve Dior (vocals) and Barry Jones, formerly of The Idols, the band was somewhat of an enigma. Although these two remained constant and wrote the material, ...
.
* ''
The Idols with Sid Vicious'' (1993) with
Sid Vicious
John Simon Ritchie (10 May 1957 – 2 February 1979), better known by his stage name Sid Vicious, was an English musician, best known as the bassist for the punk rock band Sex Pistols. Despite dying in 1979 at age 21, he remains an icon of the ...
,
Arthur "Killer" Kane
Arthur Harold Kane Jr. (February 3, 1949 – July 13, 2004) was a musician best known as the bass guitarist for the pioneering glam rock band the New York Dolls. Kane was a founding member of the Dolls in 1971 and remained an integral part of the ...
and
Jerry Nolan
Gerard "Jerry" Nolan (May 7, 1946 – January 14, 1992) was an American rock drummer, best known for his work with the New York Dolls and The Heartbreakers.
Career
A native of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Nolan joined the New York Dolls in the au ...
Films
* ''Sex Pistols: Agents of Anarchy''
(2009)
* ''
Who Killed Nancy?
''Who Killed Nancy?'' is a British documentary film directed by Alan G. Parker. The film was produced by Ben Timlett and Christine Alderson. It had its US theatrical opening at the Cinema Village in New York City on 30 July 2010. The film exami ...
'' (2009)
References
External links
Steve Dior Official websiteSteve Dior Official Facebook Page*
Steve Dior Discogs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dior, Steve
Living people
British rock guitarists
British male guitarists
British rock singers
Year of birth missing (living people)